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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 57(2)

Sarcoptic mange in southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons): distribution and prevalence in the Murraylands of South Australia

Laura Ruykys A D , David A. Taggart B , William G. Breed C and David Schultz B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

B Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

C School of Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: laura.ruykys@adelaide.edu.au

Australian Journal of Zoology 57(2) 129-138 https://doi.org/10.1071/ZO09010
Submitted: 5 February 2009  Accepted: 10 July 2009   Published: 13 August 2009

Abstract

This study examined the history, prevalence and distribution of sarcoptic mange in southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons) in the Murraylands, South Australia. Results from a survey suggested that there had been a long history of sporadic mange outbreaks, with 43% of 85 respondents indicating that they had seen diseased animals. There was a concentration of positive sightings (59%) in the vicinity of one town, Swan Reach. A total of 67 wombats was also caught on three pastoral properties; 0% (n = 21), 4% (n = 21) and 76% (n = 23) were found to have mange at each respective site. Diseased wombats presented with erythema, parakeratosis and alopecia and had lower median condition, subcutaneous fat and higher bone prominence scores than healthy animals. Severely diseased adult wombats had an average bodyweight that was 9.86 kg lower than those without mange. Infected animals suffered higher mortality, with a rate of ~37% in eight months on one property. It is suggested that mange may have a significant effect on southern hairy-nosed wombats and outbreaks could result in the decline and/or possible extinction of small, isolated populations. Population management initiatives, including suspending culling quotas in infected populations, should thus be considered.


Acknowledgements

We thank all survey respondents and fieldtrip volunteers and gratefully acknowledge the landholders who allowed us to catch wombats on their properties – J. McAuley, M. Gosse and particularly David and Janet Le Brun. The assistance of R. and I. Dibben during fieldwork and J. Allan for mapping support was also appreciated. Thanks also to two anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on the manuscript. The work was made possible by grants from the SA Department for Environment and Heritage, Royal Zoological Society of SA and Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment. The project was conducted under National Parks and Wildlife SA Permit # E24950 and University of Adelaide Ethics Approval S-002-2005.


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